During pregnancy and breastfeeding, your protein needs go up - a lot. Protein supports fetal tissue development, placental growth, postpartum healing, and milk production. But hitting daily protein goals through food alone can be difficult.

Protein powder can help. But which are actually safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding?

To help you find the best option, we reviewed five leading protein powders: Perelel Triple Support Protein Powder, Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake: Pregnancy & Postpartum, Needed Prenatal Collagen Protein, Thorne Whey Protein Isolate, and Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder.

We spoke with Dr. Caehla McGeady, MD and author of A Toxin-Free Pregnancy, to help us assess each across three key areas: ingredients, third-party testing, and taste. Read on to find out which protein powder wins!

Protein Powders, Compared

Ingredients

According to Dr. McGeady, clean, complete proteins are vital when supplementing during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Look for strong macros and avoid added sugar, caffeine, or unnecessary additives that can be harmful for pregnancy.¹ “Generally speaking, fewer ingredients in protein powders tend to be safer,” adds McGeady.

Protein type matters too. “Whey can be hard on our digestive systems,” explains Dr. McGeady, particularly during pregnancy.² Plant-based protein paired with prebiotic fiber is a recommended alternative.

Finally, look for pregnancy and breastfeeding-specific ingredients like creatine, choline, or iron to help withyour baby’s development and your own nutrition and energy. Fiber can also be beneficial to help support bowel movements, which can be impacted due to hormone fluctuations.

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🥇First Place For Ingredients: Perelel Triple Support Protein Powder

• Protein Source: Plant-based
• Macros (per serving): 20g protein, 7g carbs, 5g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 0g sugar.
• Key Additions: Creatine, known for its role in cellular energy, supports muscle health and cognitive health. It also contains high fiber and prebiotics - great for digestion and gut health.
• Our Thoughts: Perelel checks every box: complete plant-based protein, zero sugar, digestion-friendly fiber, and a standout ingredient you won’t find in most protein powders - creatine. Dr. McGeady explains: “In pregnancy, creatine supports maternal muscle health. It may also help the baby's growing brain.”³ Perelel users also cite cognitive support due to this special ingredient.

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🥈Second Place: Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake: Pregnancy & Postpartum

• Protein Source: Plant-based
• Macros (per serving): 20g protein, 6g carbs, 4g fat, 3g fiber, 0g sugar.
• Key Additions: 250mg of choline, supporting fetal brain development.
• Our Thoughts: Ritual delivers a clean, balanced protein with added choline - a key nutrient during pregnancy. While it doesn’t include extras like creatine or prebiotics, it’s a solid option.

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🥉Third Place: Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder

• Protein Source: Plant-based
• Macros (per serving): 21g protein, 15g carbs, 4g fat, 6g fiber, 1g sugar
• Key Additions: 6.5mg of iron, supporting increased blood volume during pregnancy.⁴
• Considerations: Higher in carbs and sugar than others.
• Our Thoughts: Orgain is iron-rich with a solid protein base, but its sugar content and lack of pregnancy-specific formulation place it in the middle of the pack.

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Fourth Place: Thorne Whey Protein Isolate

• Protein Source: Whey protein isolate
• Macros (per serving): 21g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 3g sugar
• Key Additions: None
• Considerations: Contains lactose, adds cholesterol and sugar, and may cause digestive issues.¹
• Our Thoughts: Thorne delivers highly bioavailable protein, but cholesterol, sugar content, and potential to cause bloating make it pregnancy-unfriendly.

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Last Place: Needed Prenatal Collagen Protein

• Protein Source: Collagen (not a complete protein)
• Macros (per serving): 14g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g sugar
• Key Additions: None
• Considerations: Collagen is missing tryptophan, an essential amino acid. This means it is an incomplete protein and cannot fully support the body’s protein needs - especially during pregnancy, when demands are high.⁵
• Our Thoughts: Needed’s collagen is clean and well-tolerated, but it’s not a complete protein. While it can be great for hair and skin health, it lacks the nutrients or macros needed to support pregnancy or postpartum nutrition.

Third-Party Testing & Safety

As with any supplement, contamination with heavy metals, BPA, and microplastics is a real concern for protein powders - “especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding,” Dr. McGeady tells us.

Here’s how each brand compares on testing and safety certifications:

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🥇 Perelel Triple Support Protein Powder & Needed Prenatal Collagen Protein

✅ Third-party tested - every batch‍

✅ Clean Label Project Purity Award - given to top 30% of protein powders tested

✅ cGMP Certified Manufacturers

✅ Top 9 Allergen-Free

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🥈 Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake: Pregnancy & Postpartum

☑️ Third-party tested - not every batch

✅ Clean Label Project Purity Award

✅ cGMP Certified Manufacturers

✅ Top 9 Allergen-Free

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🥉 Thorne Whey Protein Isolate

☑️ Third-party tested

❌ Clean Label Project Certified

✅ cGMP Certified Manufacturers

❌ Top 9 Allergen-Free - contains milk

Last Place: Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder

❌ Third-party tested

❌ Clean Label Project Certified

✅ cGMP Certified Manufacturers

✅ Top 9 Allergen-Free

Taste & Texture

When you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, taste and texture matter more than ever. Chalky or unpleasant? Chances are you won’t stick with it.

🥇Perelel - Smooth and easy to drink, with a light vanilla flavor that isn’t chalky, sweet, or artificial. Plus, there’s no bloating due to the inclusion of low FODMAP fibers. “I could easily drink this every day,” said one of our testers.

🥇Needed - Mostly flavorless and dissolves in water.

🥈Thorne - Generally liked; a bit too sweet for some. Mixes well, but can cause mild bloating if you’re sensitive to whey.

🥉Ritual - Strong vanilla flavor is hit or miss. Gritty texture, and the pouch makes it awkward to scoop and reseal. Bloating is also an issue for this whey blend.

❌Orgain - Very chalky and earthy with a strong stevia aftertaste. “It ruined my smoothie,” said one tester.

Our #1 Choice For Protein Powder: Perelel

After testing five popular protein powders for pregnancy and postpartum, Perelel wins. It combines complete plant-based protein, zero added sugar, digestion-supporting fiber, and creatine - which, all together, supports maternal nutrient needs, brain, gut, and muscle health. Finally, it's both third-party tested batch by batch and a Clean Label Project Purity Award Winer.

“I recommend Perelel’s Triple Support Protein Powder to patients because it has essential nutrients without any red flags,” says Dr. McGeady. “You can take it without worrying you’re exposing yourself or your baby to something harmful.”

Looking for a safe, effective way to hit your protein goals during pregnancy or postpartum? This is the one we trust. Get 20% off Perelel with code: HD.

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^{1. NIH: Excess Sugar Negatively Affects Pregnancy Outcomes}

^{2. Brown University: GI Issues Common During Pregnancy}

^{3. Hudson Institute of Medical Research: Benefits of Creatine During Pregnancy}

^{4. NIH: Iron Supports Increased Blood Volume in Pregnancy}

^{5. NIH: Collagen is an Incomplete Protein}